Get the low down on Brown County

Only a 30-minute drive from campus, Brown County provides at least a full day's worth of activity. From hearing local residents performing on guitar and bagpipes along the street to strolling through nature, WEEKEND did its best to experience the best of Brown County.\n1. Brown County State Park: Fresh air and the great outdoors make for a day of natural beauty.\n"Pretty much anyone that enjoys the outdoors would enjoy this park," said Debbie Dunbar, director of marketing and communications for the Brown County Visitors Bureau. "Absolutely, (visitors' favorite parts are) the views and the vast expanse of greenery. It's pretty much been left in its natural state."\nThe park is the largest in the state and offers horseback riding, a seasonal pool, a 20-mile mountain-bike trail, hiking, man-made overlooks, lodging and a restaurant. \n"They love the serenity of it, they like the scenery and they are in awe of how big it is and how much it has to offer," she said.\n2. The Muddy Boots Cafe: Locals fill the tables of this bright and colorful family restaurant. \nThe smell of homemade desserts and the sound of friends and family enjoying this spot make the place feel like home. \nThe cafe, which opened two months ago, offers an extensive breakfast menu, along with desserts, fruit smoothies and blended espresso drinks and juices, such as their well-known lavender lemonade, which is infused with real lavender flowers. Employees said the most popular items on the menu include "the king" and "the queen," which are chocolate- and vanilla-flavored blended espresso drinks. In addition to food, the cafe offers live music Saturday nights.\nTyra Nickel, who opened the cafe with friend and Nashville resident Roberta Myers, said the cafe has done even better than they expected, thanks to the great support locals have provided.\n"Every town needs a local cafe," she said. "We just kind of tapped into a niche."\n3. Bill Monroe Memorial Music Park and Campground: Barefoot, shirtless and free-spirited music lovers of all ages can be found wandering around the 55-acre campground. \nColonies of tents extend for miles, and campers wear little more than overalls and a smile. \nFor the most part, festivals and activities at the site tend to be geared toward bluegrass lovers. At the Bill Monroe Memorial Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival, banjo picking and guitar strumming can be heard for days. But interesting characters, events and entertainment can be found year-round for those looking for a music-filled retreat. \n4. Schwab's Fudge: The smell of chocolate and sugary treats will taunt your sweet tooth right off the bat in this shop. Mouth-watering samples make it impossible to enter without buying something, such as the chocolate-pecan fudge, which employees agree is the most popular buy. \nWatch sweets being baked, molded, cut and packaged right before your eyes. Though Nashville has quite the selection of sweets and treats, locals seem to agree that Mr. Schwab's is the place to go for fudge and caramel corn.\n5. Schooner Valley Stables: The crispness of fall air, the calming effect of vast, open space and the liberating feeling of nature sailing by as you ride on the back of a beautiful stallion creates an unforgettable experience. Debbie Dunbar, diretor of marketing and communications for the Brown County Visitors Bureau said Brown County offers three horseback-riding stables, all of which offer similar terrain. \n"It's getting the opportunity to get out on horseback and view the countryside from a different perspective," Dunbar said.\nRiding at Schooner is $20 per hour. More information can be found at www://schoonervalleystables.homestead.com/. \n6. Brown County Playhouse: The venue's quaint, colorful decor, along with the intimate feel of the small auditorium, make this site appealing even before seeing any of the performances. Special pricing for ages 25 and under allow for the theatrical performances to be affordable entertainment for the average college student. Now playing at the BCP is Neil Simon's "Plaza Suite." \n7. Yesteryear Tintype: Visitors take a step back in time upon entering this photo studio. Cowboys, mountain men, dance-hall girls and flappers come together to create an experience that cannot be found in Bloomington. The bright-red bodices, ruffled skirts, feather boas and rifles and pistols allow customers to become a variety of characters. Tintype boasts the largest costume selection in Brown County and offers a large collection of backdrops.\n8. Men's Toy Shop: Row after rows of cigars, pipes and various flavors of tobacco join civil-war chess sets, pool sticks and NASCAR and Beatles paraphernalia within the walls of the Men's Toy Shop. Men of all ages come together inside this small store found in the center of Nashville, Ind.. This shop is definitely geared toward a specific type of customer, but the average male college student will probably find some form of entertainment in this store.